A former Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General , Dr Dominic Ayine has recommended that there should be a constitutional amendment which would allow opposition parties to nominate their representatives to be on the commission of EC , whiles the President is given the mandate to appoint the chair person.
He stated that this electoral reform would be necessary to eliminate suspicions that the electoral commission, EC, was put there to favour the ruling government in the country’s Presidential elections.
” The reason why there is usually suspicion that the EC is only favouring the ruling government is because you have appointment made by the President ,and the people have the perception that the President appoints persons who align themselves with his political party.
” So Dr Afari Gyan was accused of being NDC.Then subsequently , Mrs Shallot Osei .And now Mrs Jean Mensah also being accused of NPP.
Dr Dominic Ayine made this proposal when he was contributing to a discussion on the leader of Ghana’s main opposition party,NDC Mr John Dramani Mahama’s petition to the nation’s Supreme Court to challenge the outcome of the 2020 Dec. 7 presidential elections on TV3 Key Points in Accra .
He noted that it would be possible the President is still allowed to appoint the chair person to the commission and further ensure the majority of the commissioners are appointed by him.
He , however, stressed that the opposition parties could have the minority of the commissioners coming from their end to curtail the unnecessary suspicion and ensure total transparency in the country’s electoral system.
“So what I propose is that lets have the ruling government have the majority of the commissioners whiles those in the opposition have the minority .
“So that the opposition political parties themselves are given the chance to be at the table when decisions are made” , he stressed
A private legal practitioner , Dr Martin Kpebu , who was also on the show ,on the other hand urged the Supreme court to have the proceedings telecast live to ensure transparency.
” They say transparency is the beginning of everything .But then lets encourage the citizens to be circumspect so that we don’t mar the processes.